Citrus Fruits And Its Many Benefits

Citrus fruits have long been known to have manythe government's recommended daily allowance
health benefits. In the days of the first oceanof vitamin C.
crossings, sailors often became sick with scurvyFiber
due to vitamin C deficiencies caused by a lack ofFiber content is often overlooked as a benefit of
citrus fruits. Even though vitamin C deficiency iscitrus fruits.  After all, most people picture
no longer such a problem, many people don't eatcereals and grains when they think of fiber. Even
enough citrus fruits, that is a shame since citrusso, citrus fruits are a good source of dietary
fruits are among the most delicious, and mostfiber, including the all important soluble fiber.  Fiber
nutritious, fruits available. Whether you have aplays a vital role in digestion, and studies have
grapefruit at breakfast or an orange at lunch,indicated it may help to reduce levels of
adding more citrus to your diet can do wonderscholesterol in the blood and even reduce the risk
for your health not to mention better eatingof some kinds of cancer.
habits. Of course citrus fruits are not limited toFolate (folic acid)
the standard oranges and grapefruits, most majorFolate, or folic acid as it is also known, plays a
grocery stores have an endless variety of citrusvital role in early pregnancy, so all women of child
fruits on their shelves, including pineapples,bearing age are encouraged to consume adequate
tomatoes, lemons, kumquats, mandarin oranges,amounts of this important nutrient. That is
tangerines, and limes.because one of the most critical times in a
Everyone knows that citrus fruits have largepregnancy takes place before the woman knows
amounts of vitamin C to offer, but many citrusshe is pregnant. In addition to its importance in
fruits have significant levels of other importantpreventing many neural tube birth defects, folic
nutrients, such as potassium, as well. Let's take aacid also aids in the production of mature red
closer look at what citrus fruits have to offer.blood cells and helps to prevent anemia. Citrus
Vitamin Cfruits are an excellent source of folic acid.
Vitamin C is the first thing that comes to mindPotassium
when most people think of citrus fruits, and it isOranges are particularly high in potassium, as are
true that most citrus fruits are simply loaded withnon citrus fruits like bananas.  Potassium is vital
this important vitamin. Vitamin C is perhaps theto maintaining a proper fluid balance in the body,
most studied of all vitamins, and it has shownand for transmitting signals between nerve cells.
promise in shortening the duration of colds, helpingPotassium levels can be affected by excess
wounds heal faster, and protecting the body fromcaffeine consumption and by dehydration, so it is
the damaging effects of free radicals. Vitamin C isimportant to consume adequate levels of
essential for healthy skin and gums, and sincepotassium every day. With all these things going
vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin, sufficientfor them, it's easy to see why citrus fruits are so
quantities must be consumed every day. Unlikeimportant to the diet. No matter what your
fat soluble vitamins, vitamin C is not stored in theultimate fitness goal, a diet rich in citrus fruits will
body. That is why eating at least a few servingshelp to get you off to the right start. And with
a day of citrus fruits and other vitamin C richthe many varieties of citrus fruits to choose
foods is so important.  Luckily, getting thefrom, it is easy to spice things up and bring
recommended daily amount of vitamin C is notvariety to your healthy eating plan.
difficult, since a single orange contains 150% of